The Little Human
by Skyklutz the Storyteller
Summary: It's the story of The Little Mermaid only the roles are reversed! Syaoran hates life on land and dreams of what the big blue's hiding. Yelan hates the ocean since it claimed her husband and forbids her son to go near it.
1. Fairy Tales and Wishes

Intro: I'd just like to say, The Little Mermaid has to be my favorite fairy tale of all time. I grew up on the Disney movie and read as many adaptions of it as I could get my hands on. This story came to me incredibly easy and quickly. So enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer haiku:

Don't own CCS  
Just a broke fiction author  
Please do not sue me

* * *

The sixteen-year-old prince kicked at the sand angrily. He hated it. Sand was hard, it scratched, and it intruded where it was unwanted, which to the young highness, was everywhere. Ever since his father drowned, he was restricted to these unpleasant banks, unallowed to come in contact with the ocean. Kicking off his shoes, the boy stepped into the tide and let the warm salty water pool around his feet. He sighed contently, closing his eyes. This was what paradise felt like. No pressure on the soles of his feet, no stubbing his toes on rocks, just him and the sea. He swirled his toes in the water, making a small whirlpool of shells and sand. This was the time. The time when the sun made his pools of brown eyes look orange and the wind made his messy brown hair even messier. This was the time of day he saw _her_. On time as always he saw the head of wet manila colored hair emerge from the ocean and gaze at him from two hundred meters away with her large green eyes. He smiled to her, getting one in return. Then she retreated into the ocean as she did every evening. 

One day he would meet her.

One day he would talk to her.

* * *

The young princess crossed her arms, "They are real! I've _seen_ them!" 

"Sakura," began her father, closing the thick novel he was reading, "Humans are a myth and nothing more, we've been through this. It's one thing to believe in them when you're a child, but you're well past sixteen. I hate to say this, but you have to stop believing in these childish fantasies."

"You don't understand! I've seen a human before! He must've been at least my age! He comes to the shore every evening and looks at the ocean," she stopped to sigh almost blissfully, "He looks so lonely, and every evening he comes singing a song quietly to himself. I can't really hear the words but it sounds beautiful!"

"Father," came a voice from wide doorway. Hair the color of lightly charred wood and eyes like a rusted anchor. He wore a navy blue jacket and a smirk, "There's a suitor here for Kaijuu-hime."

"Suitor?" asked Sakura, deciding to ignore her brother's insult. Fujitaka arranged the cuffs of his sleeves before removing himself from his chair.

"It's about that time in your life that you choose a husband. Show him in, Touya."

In entered a merman who was much taller than Sakura. His jacket was lavender with bright gold buttons and cufflinks. His hair was long and silver, his eyes a light periwinkle and almost feline.

"It's a pleasure to meet the lovey Sakura-hime," he said bowing. Sakura took the sides of her white flowy skirt and curtsied.

"Yue-ouji is from shores of China," explained the king, "Why don't you two sit down and get to know each other?"

* * *

The prince tiptoed, dripping across the hallway. His shirt was turned up as it held new additions to his shell collection. Only the rarest and most beautiful would even touch his hands. He ran his finger along an irridescent cowry smiling. No human could ever make something so magnificent. 

"That girl I can't ignore, that mysterious girl," he sang to himself, a song he had made up, as he reached for the doornob to his bedroom.

"Syaoran." at his mother's voice the prince tripped on his own two wet feet as all his precious treasures clattered to the marble floor in hundreds of pieces.

"No," he whispered as he scrambled to scoop them into his hand.

"Where were you all evening? Every evening for that matter?" she asked, arms crossed. Her brown eyes pierced into his own.

"I-I was just..." his voice lowered to almost a whisper, "At the ocean,"

Yelan closed her eyes, "Syaoran, how many times have I got to tell you? The sea is dangerous, I thought I made that clear when your father died."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Mother! I know how to be careful!"

"And your father was a full grown man! I don't know what else to do!" her voice sounded tired and hopeless. "You are never to leave the palace for anything, am I clear?"

"But--"

"Am I clear?"

Syaoran's shoulders slumped, "Yes, ma'am."

"Good night, Syaoran."

Without saying anything the defeated boy pushed into his room and slowly closed the door. After dumping the broken shell pieces on his bedspread, he picked up the only shell that wasn't in fragments. The irridescent cowry. There was a small hole in the top as if it were meant to be used as jewlery. As he dumped the broken shells out his window, he threaded the shell with a thin leather cord and tied it around his neck. Somehow with this necklace he felt comfortable, he almost felt... protected somehow. His mother didn't understand anything. How could she be so thick? Syaoran kicked his wardrobe sharply in frustration and flopped onto his bed.

* * *

Meanwhile a dark female sat watching the young prince's anger with curious violet eyes. 

"The poor thing," she sighed, popping another cooked shrimp in her mouth, "He wants so much to see his little friend, isn't that right Eriol?" she turned to a dark haired young man adjusting his glasses to look at the seeing pool a little better.

He nodded, "Pass me the water, please." he said kindly. The black haired sorceress handed him the jug, "Perhaps we should grant his wish."

* * *

Syaoran layed staring at the stark white ceiling. It was the same, every room in the palace was just a different size of the same room. He needed a change. 

"How depressed we are," said a cool voice from his doorway. Syaoran sat up to a grey eyed boy smiling smugly as he pushed his navy hair out of his eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked cautiously.

"I can take you to someone who will grant your wish."

"My..."

"You wish to see that girl, you want to meet her." he replied cooly.

"How do you kn--"

"Are you coming or not?"

Syaoran felt a little insulted by being cut off, but got up from his mattress and followed the mysterious boy.

"Who is this person?" Syaoran asked as he followed him down a dark stairwell outside the castle.

"Tomoyo is an amazing woman. She'll grant any wish you want." Eriol replied as they reached a wooden door. He opened it after struggling with the latch a bit.

"I've never seen this part of the palace before," Syaoran commented as he dodged a cobweb. Eriol chuckled.

"We like to keep low," he explained. Syaoran's heart thudded as Eriol kicked a sleeping man in chains.

"Announce us at once!" he ordered as the man stood up. He bowed and entered a curtained room.

"Eriol-sama and your guest have arrived," they heard him say. Syaoran began to rethink his wish as he walked into the room. Lounging on a black sofa was a pale young woman. She smiled up at him.

"So you've come, I've been expecting you."


	2. The Deal

"Uh-huh..." said Sakura politely but boredly as Yue droned on about the fine dolphin he recieved for his twenty-third birthday. He was a nice enough person, but he was dull, normal, and so _old_.

"Say!" she said suddenly, cutting into his monologue, "Do you believe in humans?"

Yue smiled and snorted, "I might have when I was little, but I've since learned that they're just a myth. Everyone knows that."

"Right." stated Sakura in annoyance, "Well Yue-ouji. This was a really great conversation! Talk to you some other time, okay?"

"But Sakura," protested her father, "You've only been talking for three hours." he tapped his pocket watch to make sure it was working.

"Yes, and I'm so tired, I feel I could faint." she replied dramatically, holding her hand to her forehead

Touya noticed her irritation and decided to use it against her, "We haven't had dinner yet." he added with a smirk. Sakura gave him a glare, but quickly turned it into a pleasant smile. He would suffer.

"Of course! We must have dinner!"

* * *

"You were... expecting me?" asked Syaoran as the woman walked up to him. 

"Yes, you have a dire wish to be with that girl." she replied, "And I will be the one to help you!"

"Can you really do that?" he was skeptical. What kind of woman was she?

"My darling boy," she chuckled laying a hand on his cheek, "Of course I can! I am the Wonderful Tomoyo!"

Tomoyo pulled Syaoran to her seeing pool and snapped her fingers. Princess Sakura's bored image appeared. Syaoran's heart leapt.

"That's her!" he cried excitedly. Tomoyo smiled widely as she reached into a cabinet under the pool. She placed a few vials and glasses on the surface and let them sink slowly, each giving off a different color. The final color it turned was a bright fusia.

"Now, boy, I will gladly grant your wish. However, there are a few rules and conditions we must go over!" she stated proudly, "First off, how far are you willing to go to see her?"

"I'll do anything!" Syaoran said, gaining more confidence with the situation.

"Wonderful!" Tomoyo pulled out a full length mirror from behind a curtain and held it in front of Syaoran, "Now, in order to see her, we're going to make you one of them."

"One of..." before he could finish speaking the Syaoran in the mirror fell to the ground as his legs were replace by a single emerald fish's tail. Syaoran looked to his own legs to make sure they were still there as mirror Syaoran's tail flipped up and down.

"Now it gets complicated. You've got exactly one week from when your fins hit the water to woo your girl and get her to love you. She must verbally express her love to you and mean every word. But, if you can't get her to love you within those seven long days," she waved her hand in front of the mirror and his reflected self stood, clad in shackles on his limbs and neck. Syaoran rubbed his neck uncomfortably as if expecting to feel the cold iron under his fingertips, "You become my servant forever."

"Either way, if I become a merman, I'll never see my mother and sisters again." he said sadly.

"But you'll have your woman. If you don't, you'll be doomed to misery for the rest of your life." Tomoyo countered, her smiled widened, "That's right. We also must talk about how you're going to pay for all of this. This is no simple work you know."

Syaoran began rummaging in his pockets, "I want nothing monetary," she added, "Just a simple little thing, you won't even miss it! All I want is that sweet little voice of yours!"

"My voice? How am I supposed to tell her who I am?"

"Excuse me, but if you had your voice that would give you an unfair advantage! You're cute and incredibly sweet and sensitive. If you had your voice, she would fall in love with you like that!" she snapped her fingers for emphases, "So, I'm incredibly busy this time of year, I don't have all day."

Syaoran looked at his mirror image in shackles and thought about his dull life on land.

"I'll do it!" he said with confidence. Tomoyo grinned. She snapped her fingers and the mirror became etched with the conditions like a giant glass contract and handed him a glass quill. Syaoran knelt to his knees and scribbled his name at the bottom of the document. The ink began to eat at the glass until, it too was etched into the mirror.

"Splendid!" cried Tomoyo as she tossed the final ingredient into the seeing pool. The fusia light that had incased them before turned blood red. Red lights shot from the pool and wrapped themselves around Syaoran like ropes and chains, covering his legs and melting away his clothes. Only the cowry shell he found remained. He felt like he would be blinded with the red light until it disappeared and he crashed to the cold floor. He grabbed his neck as he choked, oxygen was painful and made his throat feel like it was on fire. His eyes watered as he gulped for something that would ease his pain. He tried to cry out but no sound came to his lips.

"Eriol, take him to the ocean. Quickly, he doesn't have much time if you dawdle." Tomoyo instructed. Eriol nodded and helped Syaoran stand. He pulled his hand up the stairs, running as fast as their legs would carry them as deep green scales began to form down Syaoran's thigh. Once they reached the outside Syaoran's legs were completely covered in scales and were beginning to fuse together.

"Just a few more meters!" consoled Eriol as their feet hit the sand. Syaoran wondered if this was the last time he would ever feel sand between his toes. Eriol heard a thud as Syaoran's lower limbs became one and watched as toes became fins. He hefted him by his shoulders and dragged him to the water. Syaoran felt instant relief as the salty liquid entered his body, like breathing after holding one's breath for a long time. By the time he sat back up, Eriol was nowhere to be seen, so he dove deep beneath the surface.

* * *

Sakura woke up that morning refreshed and energized as she changed out of her nightgown into a cheery and loose pink dress. She pulled her hair up and secured it with a sea shell, deciding to take a swim. The sun shone on the sandy floor and the water was warm as Sakura swam out her front entrance. She decided to visit the stable to check up on the dolphins. She wasn't expecting to find a boy completely devoid of clothing, unconscious on the floor. Sakura did the only thing she could think to do, she screamed loudly.

* * *

Syaoran opened his eyes to another pair looming over him. He sat up strait and looked around. Had he really done it? He looked down to see he was wearing a soft blue nightshirt and reached for the cowry shell. It was still there. 

"Ano, excuse me..." began the girl who was watching him. That hair, those eyes. This was the girl! The one he gave up his legs to meet. By the way... Syaoran lifted the blanket, a blood-chilling shiver running down his spine as he flipped his green tail up and down. He got out of bed and examined the soft pink scales Sakura showcased. He swam all around the small room, picking up various trinkets made out of materials he had never seen before.

"You certainly are curious," mused Sakura as Syaoran ran his hand along a potted coral, "You seem really familiar, like I've seen you before." Syaoran looked up and bobbed his head up and down in excitement. She remembered him! "What's your name?"

Syaoran's lips formed to his name but no sound came out. That's right, he had no voice.

"You can't speak, can you?"

Syaoran shook his head.

"I see... I thought for a moment you were someone I knew, you look just like him, but... no it's silly."

Syaoran cocked his head to the side with an expression that seemed to say, "Tell me." Sakura turned a little pink.

"Well it's kind of stupid and childish, but... he was a _human_. Like the ones your parents read to you about in story books!" she explained. Syaoran nodded vigorously.

"You believe in humans?" finally someone to talk to! Syaoran continued to nod.

"Well, anyway, the human boy I saw would always stand by the bank and sing the prettiest song I ever heard! I would sometimes listen for hours, but usually I had to leave in a few seconds."

Syaoran's heart was practically beating out of his chest! She remembered him! She just had to put two and two together.


	3. One Thing After Another

Once dressed in one of Touya's old shirt and jackets, Syaoran was taken to the castle library.

There was one thing he forgot to consider before doing this. Written language. While orally, the language was similar enough to his own that he could follow along, written down he couldn't figure out a single word. He was swimming all over the vast library, pulling random books off the shelves and dropping them into Sakura's arms. She laughed.

"It's almost as if you've never swam before in your life! You're all over the place!" she chuckled as he approached a bookshelf upside down and selected the book that looked the most interesting. He added the final book to the pile and positioned himself in front of her, flipping one open and running his finger across the words to mimic reading. He formed the word "read" with his lips and pointed to Sakura.

"You want me to read it to you?" she asked. He nodded, "Don't you know how to read?"

Syaoran shook his head, which was very dizzy by now.

"You certainly are strange. I wish you could tell me where you came from, how you got here, even just stuff about you!" she mused, opening the book. Heswam behind her so he could see the words as she read.

* * *

Syaoran swam low to the floor, letting his fingers trail through the soft sand. If he wanted Sakura to fall in love with him he had to get going. She was enchanted by his strange behavior, but he didn't want her amused by him. He wanted her in love with him. Swimming along, he spotted a beautiful yellow plant drifting with the gentle pull of the ocean. Whether from land or from sea, there was one thing Syaoran could count on. Girls loved flowers. He carefully picked the sea lillies, making a small bouquet. In his excitement, Syaoran swam as fast as his fins would take him back to the castle and up to Sakura's bedroom window. She was lounging on her bed reading a relatively short fairy tale about humans. She laughed at the sight of him.

"You know, you can use the door if you want to!" she said through a giggle. Without any time to waste, he handed her the flowers expecting her face to light up and smile. However, at the sight of them her face fell.

"Where did you find these?" she asked quietly, "Did you find them just outside the garden?"

Confused, Syaoran nodded. Sakura sat back down and rested her forehead in her hand.

"These flowers are for my mother's grave," she whispered sadly. Syaoran's heart felt like it would stop. In trying to make her happy, he only reminded her of the pain of losing her mother, "Please go, now." Syaoran lowered himself to her level and gave her an apologetic look as he wished he could express his sorrow verbally.

"I said go!" she cried, shoving the flowers at him. He imediately swam back out the window. This was hopeless, he would never get her to love him within a week! Not only that, he felt awful for what he had done. How could he have been so stupid? Wishing to be alone, he shoved himself in a small dark cave behind the castle. It was a tight squeeze getting in and he cut his tail on a jagged rock. Blood floated around the cavern as he rubbed his smarting fin when he felt something swim close. Something big. Syaoran cautiously looked behind him to see a shark about four times his size charging towards him. Quicker than he came in, he swam through the crevas and out into open water kicking up as much sand as he could. It was no use, the trail of blood he left was like a compass pointing toward him at all times. He wished he could call for help to let people know he was in danger, so he flapped his tail against the coral walls as he swam. Sakura looked out her window just in time to see Syaoran come flying toward her, the shark in close persuit.

"Oh my gosh!" she cried, swimming out her window. Syaoran was too busy looking behind him to notice her there and hit her body hard. They both fell to the ocean floor as the shark gained speed. With no time to gain their senses, Sakura pulled Syaoran's wrist and drug him to a narrow basement door, just small enough for them to swim through. Once they were both safely inside, she slammed and latched the door.

"Wow, that was fun!" she said with a hint of sarchasm. Syaoran lowered his head. This was twice today that he caused the princess grief.

"I was thinking of what we should call you since you can't very well tell us your name. I think after this, Yakkai fits you best, ne?" Sakura said, half-laughing. She looked at Syaoran's depressed face, "Hey, it's all right! You didn't ask that shark to come after you! It was an accident." She sat him down on the ground, "Now, you hurt yourself pretty bad. Let me help you,"

Syaoran felt her warm hands gently hold his tail as she examined the cut. Never had he expected a sea creature to feel nearly this warm. He never realized how much he could learn by blocking out his home on land. This new world had much more to discover.

* * *

"Well well, it's already been a day and our prince has gotten nowhere with his princess." observed Tomoyo, watching the two from her seeing pool, "If things keep going down at this rate, we may not have to intervene."

"That would be pleasant," added Eriol, running his finger around the circumference of his glass.

"However," continued Tomoyo, making Eriol's shoulders slump in defeat, "I think that a little push won't hurt. I believe tomorrow will be a good time. Tomorrow evening when the sun is just about to hit the horizon. _Their _time."

* * *

"Oh my!" cried Sakura, watching as their hideaway became darker. "It's nearly dusk and you haven't eaten all day! Probably for several days judging on how we found you this morning." She tied off the bandage she wrapped his wound in and swam to the door, opening it just a crack, "It's gone. The coast is clear."

Early the next morning Sakura decided to take Syaoran into the local market place.

"Good morning Sakura-hime," said a merchant kindly, "Would you be interested in one of our jellyfish? Sure to keep away pests! They're on sale today. Half-price!"

Having never seen a jellyfish in person before,Syaoran examined the creature closely as he reached for one of its tentacles curiously.

"Yakkai-kun! Don't touch that!" advised Sakura, but it was too late. Syaoran quickly swam behind Sakura and shook his fist at the jellyfish, glaring at it from behind her shoulders. Sakura couldn't help but laugh as she took his throbbing finger and gave it a kiss, sending warm blush up his cheeks.

"Today's suitor seems a bit skittish, don't you think?" asked the merchant. Now Sakura turned red.

"S-suitor? No he's just-- He's not going to _marry_ me!" she laughed nervously.

_At this rate I won't_, Syaoran thought dismally. Once again he had acted like an idiot in front of her. She saw him as someone with unfortunate luck, no one to take seriously.

"Well take care!" Sakura parted cheerfully as she took Syaoran's hand and led him down the street. Everyone here was kind and friendly to even perfect strangers. A trait, Syaoran rarely saw on land.

"Hello there!" said an older merwoman to the young royalty, "And who's this?"

"This is... actually, we don't know who he is," explained Sakura as Syaoran bowed politely, "He can't speak or read, so he we don't know who he is or where he's from. I'm sure he has a name, but since he can't tell us, we just call him Yakkai-kun!"

"He is curious," the woman replied as Syaoran looked at her hand. Scales had begun to grow on the back of it in her old age and he ran his fingertips across them, "He certainly discovers through touch, doesn't he?"

Realizing what he was doing, Syaoran dropped the woman's hand and bowed again.

"Yes, and we learn that some things aren't so pleasant to feel. Ne, Yakkai-kun?"

Still bowing, he nodded.


	4. Syaoran's New Friend

Syaoran looked at the dolphin uneasily as it nuzzled Sakura's hand.

"Have you ever riden before?" she asked. Syaoran swam backwards a little. Ride them? He shook his head as he aproached the dolphin once more, reaching out to pet it along the muzzle. Noticing his uncertainty, it butted into his chest sharply, pushing him back into a support beam.

"Yakkai-kun!" cried Sakura, swimming to his side, "Are you hurt?"

As Syaoran shook his head Sakura put her hand over the dolphin's muzzle, looking right into its eyes.

"You're going to let Yakkai-kun ride you!" she told it sternly. Not wanting to recreate yesterday's shark encounter, Syaoran aproaced the animal cautiously, "Now, it's very simple," explained Sakura, "Just swim into the saddle so that you're seated comfortably... That's it! Next, just take the reins and make sure th-- Yakkai-kun!"

The instant Syaoran's hands touched the reins, the dolphin took off at an amazing speed. Plants, people, and booths were blurs as they sped down the market place. He pulled back, but that only seemed to make it go faster and it wasn't long before his hands lost their grip on the reins. Syaoran tried his hardest to wrap his arms around the dolphin's body without hurting it as its tail flapped against his own in an attempt to throw him. Finally, with one last swift buck, Syaoran was thrown from the dolphin's back and into a crystal display set up in the middle of the market.

"You need to learn to controll your animals!" scolded the busy merchant as he watched the dolphin swim away. Syaoran blinked up at him with his big brown eyes between the fins of his tail that was crunched up by his head.

"Excuse me!" came Sakura's apologetic voice as she tied her dolphin up outside. She bowed deeply, "I'll pay for everything, I promise!" she offered as she knelt down beside Syaoran. She pushed his tail away from his face and helped him sit up.

"This toublemaker is with you?" asked the merchant, his tone suddenly kinder, "Don't worry about it, kid. It was an accident. No need to pay for anything your highness."

"Thank you very much, sir!" she looked to Syaoran, "Are you all right? Can you swim?" Nodding, he held himself completely erect. He bowed his apologies as the two of them left.

"Let's get something to eat, shall we?

* * *

"Now," began Sakura, laying a blanket down on a sunny patch of coral, "We're going to sit down, and I am going to guess your name." 

Syaoran looked a little confused as he helped her set out the lunch supplies for a small picnic.

"The best place to start would be to find out what sea you're from! Are you from Japan?"

While that's where he was living, that was not his birthplace. Syaoran shook his head.

"I see... somewhere in Asia?"

Yes. Syaoran nodded.

"Thailand?"

No.

"Mongolia?"

No.

"...Russia?"

Syaoran blinked at her for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"China!"

Syaoran nodded excitedly.

"Yatta! Show me what your name means, okay?"

Syaoran nodded. He held his thumb and index finger an inch apart from each other.

"Uh, squished, compressed, little..."

Syaoran nodded.

"Little? Okay... that's 'syao' in Chinese..."

Next, Syaoran ran his fingers across his other hand.

"Something that walks on land..." at Syaoran's nod she continued, "A human... no. Okay uh... Show me what it looks like!"

It was then he realized Sakura may not know what a wolf was. He tried his best anyway.

"Um, something that has pointy ears...and fur... a cat? No. Something that calls into the sky, or howls at the moon. A wolf!"

Syaoran smiled and nodded. Sakura laughed.

"That was a great performance you made! Wolf in Chinese is 'lang'. So your name is Syao-Lang... Syaoran-kun!"

The two of them sat in silence as they finished their lunch. Syaoran couldn't take it anymore. He had to find a way to tell her who he was and leaned in closer to her.

"What is it, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked. Before he could stop himself, Syaoran's lips were pressed against Sakura's in what felt like the longest three seconds of his life. Sakura shoved him away, holding her hand over her mouth as she turned a deep red. She quickly gathered up their half-eaten food and shoved it back in the basket.

"I-it's getting late," she stammered, not looking him in the eye, "I should get home before big brother worries." With that, she slung her basket over her shoulder and began to swim away, "You don't have to follow!" she cried behind her.

He didn't follow, he didn't move at all. It was all over for him now. He remembered the chained man in Tomoyo's lair that announced his arival and imagined himself as him. He now had five days to win her over and they were worse off than when they met. She had only known him for a day and a half and he had made her miserable with everything he did.

_Now is the time to make up for it_, he thought to himself as he got up from the coral bed and began to swim toward the castle.

* * *

If there was one thing Syaoran was good at, it was discovering the prettiest of sea shells. He explored the darkest of caves and smallest of crevases for trinkets that would surely please her royal highness. Now, he was back at the castle, looping each shell onto a thin but strong sea weed rope. He flipped his tail contently as he admired his handywork. He would have rather appologized verbally, but he had to admit, this was a pretty darn good substitute! He was quickly up to Sakura's room, knocking on the door. There was no answer. Confused, Syaoran opened the door a crack and peered inside to see that her room was empty. With dissapointment he put the necklace in the pocket of his jacket and swam down to the kitchens. 

"You look pretty down," said the kind palace cook as she handed him a squid to cut. She was young and couldn't have been much older than himself. Her long black hair was pulled into two braids and her eyes were red like rubies, "But if you're going to be depressed in here, at least do something constructive."

On land, Syaoran would usually hang around the kitchens where he learned how to cook. It was where he felt the most comfortable. He skillfully began cutting the squid into even parts.

"You're awfully quite... Say, aren't you that mute boy her highness found yesterday?"

Syaoran nodded. The cook studied him for a few seconds then smiled wryly.

"Ah, I see why you're so down in the dumps. You look like a lovesick baby manta ray. You're in love with the princess!"

Blushing, Syaoran nodded again.

"She was talking about you this afternoon. Said you get followed by bad luck a lot. I said to her, I says 'Well your highness, it seems like his heart is in the right place'." she peered over the counter at his cutting, "You're good at that. For someone who can't speak or read, you seem pretty intelligent. But, I've seen a good many idiots that would talk yourtail off," she thought for a few seconds, "Like me, for example."

Syaoran smiled as he took another squid and began to cut it as well.

"I don't think it's a case of you won't speak. It's that you _can't_ speak. Her highness said you didn't cry out once when you were being chased by that shark. Try and scream for me. As loud as you can!"

Syaoran opened his mouth wide, trying with all his might to get a sound out of it, but not even a squeak left his lips.

"Well whadaya know. Neptune forgot to give you vocal cords, boy!" she chuckled, ruffling his hair, "It'll be nice to get to know you. My name is Meiling!"


	5. The Ball

Ah! I finally got off my lazy bum and posted a new chapter! (Throws confetti) I'll blame my laziness on the fact that I am under fangirl distress... (cough)... Er, yeah. It's all CLAMP's fault that you didn't get a new chapter. My poor Syaoran-sama... yeah... That's it... (Looks around) Stop looking at me like that! Yah, Aldalote, don't give me the "Well, Skyklutz, you haven't updated your story in weeks and you only got Volume 5 of Tsubasa a couple of days ago!" speech! Ack! I am rambling to you people! Sorry!

Thank you sooooo much, yukyungtang, for picking out that mistake in chapter four! I fixed it right away! I am usually so careful with that sort of thing, too! Domo arigatou!

Thanks to Illusion Dragon for waiting paciently and not sending a pack of rabid wolves after me when I didn't update! ...Unless they were _really_ cute wolves... with sweet personallities, and bows on their tails, and enjoy red tassles, and have big... brown... eyes... Erm... Sorry, fangirl took over. Fanfiction dot net needs warnings! DO NOT write fics about your fangirl obsession whilst in hanyaan mode!

* * *

The next evening, the guest maid got a bath ready as she pulled Syaoran's shirt off and led him to a warm jet of water inside a circular tub. 

"Please sit still," she requested as she rubbed a smudge of dirt off his forehead. Once she was finished he was dressed in a fine navy blue shirt and jacket and was led to the main entrance.

"Now, don't be shy," she said as she pushed him gently into the room. In the center of the floor was Sakura in the most beautiful blue evening gown Syaoran had ever seen. It fit to her small form perfectly and seemed to make her bright green eyes stand out even more. At the sight of him, her cheeks pinked slightly and she turned away. Syaoran swam up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Once she turned around, he bowed to the ground to say his apologies for the day before.

"Oh, Syaoran-kun," she said as she pulled him upright, "Don't worry about it, okay? It was the moment and you weren't thinking strait, I understand."

Syaoran smiled and nodded.

"Well, shall we go?" she asked as she held out her hand. He took it with a "Where are we going?" expression on his face.

"You'll see," Sakura said slyly as she led him outside to a waiting carriage.

* * *

The two of them entered a large hall, lit with captured bottom dwelling fish that gave off their own luminesence. At the sight of the princess, the entire hall broke out into applause as she bowed. 

"I still don't think it was a good idea to let that brat come," mumbled Touya boredly as he ran his finger along the table cloth's pattern. Sakura led Syaoran to the royal table and sat down. He hesitated. While he _was_ prince on land, they didn't know that.

"It's all right!" Sakura laughed as she stood back up to lead him to a chair next to hers, "You're with me!"

"It was Sakura's choice," Fujitaka replied to Touya quietly, "He may seem a bit strange, ill-educated even, but Sakura has the gift to see the heart underneath."

Touya folded his arms, "I just don't trust him, is all."

"He seems polite enough at least..."

"It's not that,"

As the evening rolled along, the guests had spent the time dancing gracefully across the floor. Syaoran was captivated, dances were never nearly as elaborate or beautiful on land. Nor was the music so light and cheerful. Flitty, like a small guppie paddling through a forest of kelp. In and out, up and down the music, and its dancers, went; nearly hypnotizing the human boy.

"Would you like to dance?" asked Sakura, smiling as she held out her hand. She suddenly frowned, "Or don't you know how?"

She looked temporarily dissapointed as he shook his head, but it turned into a grin, "Then I'll teach you how!"

Sakura pulled Syaoran to the dance floor as the dancers parted to give them room. The music started out slow as she took his hands in hers and held him close, "You don't mind a girl leading, do you?" she wondered. Syaoran shook his head, "Great! Then just follow my lead,"

* * *

Syaoran woke up the next morning to the sound of Sakura's cheerful laughter from the main entryway. 

"I've decided, otousama!" he heard her voice say as he got ready for the day, "I was just sitting there and I realized that I love him!"

At those words Syaoran's heart did a flip as he rushed out of his room and was about to speed down the staircase when he saw she had her arm wrapped around another merman's. He was about Syaoran's age with blue-black hair that never wanted to lie flat like his did, even underwater. His eyes were almost the same color as Syaoran's only a few shades toward the grey side. Something about him was familiar somehow.

"And I want to marry him as soon as possible!" Sakura continued. Syaoran stared horror-struck as the words left her mouth, sealing his fate. Sliding down the wall, he listened in sorow.

"In four days at the least," added the merman she was clinging to. Syaoran looked back down the staircase at him, he knew that voice.

_That's my voice!_

_

* * *

_

The date was set. Syaoran had two days from that day to stop the wedding. In a normal situation he would have let the cerimony take place for Sakura's happiness. However, this wasn't a normal situation. Strange boys didn't just show up and all of a sudden, steal the princess's heart and use Syaoran's voice to do it. This was deffinetly the work of Tomoyo. He didn't have any allies down here. Unless... Syaoran swam as fast as possible to Sakura's bedroom and retrieved her thick book on humans, wasting no time as he swam back down to the kitchens. He slammed the book on the island countertop, making Meiling turn around.

"Ah, there you are! Don't have time to read you a story today. I'm preparing a meal the princess's _fiancee_." she mumbled bitterly, "Hmph some snobbish brat from... What's wrong, boy?"

Syaoran's face was determined and pleading. He put his hand on the cover of the book, and opened and closed his other hand like a mouth.

"You have to talk to me... about the book?"

Swimming up to kneel on the counter, Syaoran nodded as he opened it to a picture of a man walking along the coast.

"Humans. They're legends."

Syaoran shook his head and pointed to himself.

"What are you trying to say?"

He jabbed himself in the chest, then pointed to the picture again. Meiling chuckled.

"You're not human!"

Syaoran nodded.

"Are you..." she shook her head, "Stop joking around. Humans aren't real, and you aren't one." she shoved a large bowl of vegitables in his arms, "Now, help me cut these up, please."

Syaoran stared at her for a couple of seconds, swallowing the lump in his throat. With pain in his heart, he dropped the bowl and swam out of the kitchen. Even if he did tell anyone, they wouldn't believe him. He swam through the main entrance, past Sakura, and to the back stables, sitting on the floor as he rested his head on where his knees would have been.

"Syaoran-sama," said a voice from the stable door. He looked up to see Meiling as she swam over to kneel beside him, "That's what Sakura-hime said your name was."

Syaoran put his head back down and did not look at her.

"Look, I know you must be really frustrated. You always have to listen and can never express your opinion, and because of that, no one takes you seriously. No one seems to notice that you've got a heart and feelings, just like everyone else. When cruel things are spoken to you, it hurts, maybe even more than for normal people," she put her hand on his shoulder, "What can I do to help you?"

* * *

"Sabotage the princess's wedding?" asked Meiling as they watched the couple swim hand in hand down the street. Syaoran nodded. 

"You have got to be really desperate for her to go that f... Now where did you go?"

Syaoran had already swam up to the princess and tapped her on the shoulder. When Sakura turned around he noticed how vacant her expression was, as if she were under some sort of trance.

"Oh, hello." she said dully before continuing on. Syaoran continued to swim along side her like an obediant puppy. She wasn't still mad at him, was she? No, this wasn't angry behavior. Syaoran examined her companion closer and noted the glass pendant around his neck. It looked like a miniature version of Tomoyo's mirror. It was attatched around his neck by a leather thong. Both were substances only found on land. This boy was human, just like him. Syaoran decided a confrontation was in order.


	6. Full Refund

Syaoran held the boy to the kitchen wall, knife held to his throat.

"Well well, you've figured me out. I told Tomoyo you were intelligent." the boy replied smoothly, "However, do you really think her highness will love you if she saw you about to kill a man?"

Reluctantly, Syaoran dropped the knife, not letting his gaze leave his target.

"You sold your voice to us, remember? That means it is our possesion now and we can do whatever we please with it."

"Syaoran-kun! Put him down!" cried Sakura as she entered the room. In an instant Syaoran let go. Yet again, feeling ashamed of himself. Once Eriol was safely close to the ground, he picked up the knife.

"You know the funny thing about love spells," began Eriol as he waved his hand in front of Sakura's blank face, "Once they're cast on someone, they can see anyone hurt, sad, or even murdered as long as the object of their affection is unharmed..."

Eriol held the knife to Syaoran's abdomen, "I don't kill," he thrust the knife into his stomach, "But I have no qualms about hurting you."

Blood floated in the water as instinct took over and Syaoran punched him in the chest, making the small mirror shatter into hundreds of tiny fragments. Sakura's expression suddenly became concerned as the spell broke and she swam over to him.

"Syaoran-kun are you all right? You're bleeding horribly!" she cried putting her hand over the wound.

"It's all right," he wanted to say. It took Syaoran a few seconds after seeing Sakura's puzzled face to realize he really _did_ say it!

"You just spoke!" she said in amazement.

"Sakura, there's somethi--" Syaoran's wrists and neck were suddenly restrained by shackles.

"Oh dear, it seems that since you took your voice back, we get our refund as well," said Eriol slyly, "You're ours now."

"It hasn't been the full week yet!" Syaoran protested as Eriol's features returned to his original looks.

"But you didn't hold up your end of the bargain! It's over!"

Syaoran's tail split in two and began to form into legs and feet, also held by chains.

"Sakura!" he cried as his scales began to recede to be replaced by flesh.

"Syaoran-kun..."

"I'm sorry for trying to kiss you! I'm sorry for losing your dolphin! I'm sorry for embarrassing you in the market! I'm sorry for getting you chased by that shark! I'm sorry for picking your mother's flowers! Just know that I'm the one you've been watching! I love you, Sakura and I--" he was cut off as his lungs began to function once more and he was back to oxygen. Eriol pulled his wrist outside and began to pull him toward the surface as his own merman features began to dissapear.

"Syaoran-kun!"

But it was too late. He was gone.

* * *

"You poor thing," murmered Tomoyo as she looked over Syaoran's wound. She put her hand over it and it closed up instantly, "Just when things were starting to look up for you."

"You set me up to fail!" he screeched.

"Yes, we did," Tomoyo admited, "But you should've been more specified on your part of the contract. That was your own doing."

"Is there any way I can buy my tail back?" he asked after a few seconds of silence as he sat up. Tomoyo put her hand to her chin.

"I'm sorry, but the way our contract is worded prevents that. You are mine for all eternity."

There was a loud thunk on the outside of the door.

"Open this door, damnit!" yelled an angry female voice from the other side.

"Feimei!" cried Syaoran, "Feimei! I'm in here!" Tomoyo motioned for Eriol to open the door, but before he could even stand up the wooden barier toppled to the floor. There stood his sisters, Feimei's foot upraised in a kick. Behind her was the eldest, Fuuti, carrying a limp body.

"Sakura!" Syaoran leapt from a sitting position and attempted to run for her, but his knees buckled under him and he fell to the floor.

"Why can't he walk? What did you do to Syaoran?" Fanren demanded.

"Fanren, I'm sorry I--" began Syaoran.

"He cannot walk because his legs are as young as a newborn infant's," explained Tomoyo, "For the past five days, your little brother has been swimming with that girl in your arms. He hasn't walked a single step since then."

Syaoran crawled over and held Sakura to his chest, "Sakura, can you hear me?"

Hereyes fluttered open, "Syaoran-kun... I came to save you!"

"You're dying! You can't survive on land!"

"Your voice... it sounds nice..." she mumbled as her eyelids tried to force themselves down again.

"Please stay with me!" Syaoran pleaded, "Just hold on for a little longer."

"There's... There's water coming from your eyes..." mused Sakura as she put her hand on his cheek. Syaoran closed his eyes and held her hand where it was.

"That's it!" Syaoran exclaimed, "The deal's not over yet!"

"What do you mean?" wondered Tomoyo curiously. The mirror that stated the conditions began to form a hairline crack that spread like a spiderweb.

"Getting my voice back wasn't breaking the rules of our agreement, it was just call for a return of my legs!" the more Syaoran spoke the bigger the crack got, "However, if she confessed her love to me, my tail would be permanent. There's no way you could change me back!" he smiled, "You should've been more specific on your side of the contract."

The mirror continued to crack and glow where it was broken until light was enveloping them.

"Get down!" cried Syaoran's sisters at once. In one split second the mirror blew apart, sending glass shards across the room. Tomoyo was cut into shreds as the fragments shot through her body. Without any time to waste, the four Li princesses carried the two of them outside and to the shore.

"C'mon Sakura, wake up!" Syaoran pleaded once she was in the water. The tide washed up over her pale face, but she did not move, "Sakura, you _have _to wake up!" He held her body close to his, "Please... I've given up everything to be with you." Syaoran closed his eyes, holding back tears. She couldn't die. Not after all this.

"Syaoran-kun..." said a tired voice in his ear. Syaoran pulled her back to watch her eyes open and gaze at him widely, "I'm back in the water," she mumbled, "Does that mean--?"

"Syaoran," said a voice Sakura had never heard before, but Syaoran had all his life. He looked up to his mother as she knelt beside him, "I understand your wanting to be with her."

Syaoran knew that tone, he didn't like where this was going.

"However," she continued, "Your home is here, on land. This is where you belong and are loved. You can't just leave and expect us to just take it in stride!"

His head hung low as he nodded, "I understand, mother."

"Syaoran-kun? What's going on?" asked Sakura wearily. Syaoran kissed her hand.

"I have to go, now," he explained, "We may never be with each other again but, if we keep up our old routine, we should at least be able to see each other. On land as a human is where I belong."

"No!" Sakura cried, wrapping her arms around him, "You can live with us! I'll show you how to read, I'll teach you about everything!"

"I'm sorry, Sakura. This is my home. Please send someone to tell me when you made it home safely. " It was difficult for him to look into her pleading eyes as he slid her deeper into the water, "Sometimes hearts have to be broken to have happiness."

"I'll never have happiness if I can't be with you!" she cried as he pushed himself up on the shore. The current began to pull her farther into the ocean, "I love you."

Syaoran nodded as she gave him one last longing look before dissapearing into the sea.


	7. The Greatest Gift

Ah, you thought it was over, did ya? Probably not! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Special thanks to Illusion Dragon for the manta ray thing!

After this, I doubt there will be a sequel unless I think of something.

Syaoran: (Twitch) That's what you said about Stuck on You! There's six of 'em!

Skyklutz: Yeah but right now I'm focusing on writing SoY SAUCE (Stuck on You's Super Amazing Ultra Cute Edition). So I'll be way busy with that!

Syaoran: Just what I need. You to make an idiot of me all over again!

* * *

Once Syaoran was back on his feet, he visited the shore as he promised he would. He didn't have high hopes that Sakura would be there, but sure enough, when the sun was low and the breeze was calm, she emerged. Smiling as always. He waved to her, who in return, waved back before she dissapeared into the ocean once more. Syaoran sighed. A time that usally brought him the most joy, now brought longing and sorrow, yet he couldn't bear to go a day without it. 

He walked quietly off the beach and up the stone steps to the palace, glancing at the sea once more before trodding along.

"Oh, he's got it bad," commented third born of the Li children, Fanren, to her sisters as they watched their brother from a high window. They nodded in agreance. Queen Yelan stopped as she made her way past.

"What has he got?" she asked puzzled. Feimei held her hands together and leaned dramatically into her other sisters' arms.

"Isn't it obvious, Mommy?" she replied, batting her eyelashes, "Syaoran's in _love_!"

Yelan sighed and looked out the window at her only son, "I know that," she stated after a few seconds of silence, "I suppose theirs only one thing to do..."

* * *

"Oh, baby brother!" called all four of Syaoran's siblings at once as he entered the main door. His shoulders slumped. What now? 

"Yes?" he asked dully, dreading what they had in store for him.

"We've got a surprise for you," replied his eldest sister, Fuuti. Slightly intrigued, he followed his sisters as they lead him to his own bedroom. Inside were many objects spread across his bed. Several of his finest shirts and jackets, a few trinkets, and books with thin rubbery pages.

"What is this?" he asked, almost laughing.

"This," began Sheifa, his second eldest sibling, "Is our gift to you!"

"We realized that you're not happy here," continued Fanren, twirling an auburn lock on her finger, "So we--"

"--Mother too!" added Feimei.

"Yes, we _all_ have decided that you should live in the sea, with the one you love."

Syaoran wasn't sure what to say as he filled with overwhelming happiness. However, when he thought about it, the happiness suddenly dissapeared, "But it takes an incredibly large ammount of magic to do something like that! Not even Mom is that powerful!"

"That's why we all combined our power to do it," explained Fuuti, "None of us will be able to do magic for a year at the least, but it's all for your happiness."

"No! You don't have to give up your magic! Not for me!" cried Syaoran, he could feel his eyes well up with tears as several different emotions hit him at once.

"But it's too late!" said Fanren, clasping her hands together, "The spell is cast. Once your feet touch the water, they'll come together in a tail and you'll live in the ocean!"

For a few seconds Syaoran could only stare at them.

"Thank you..."

* * *

Full napsack slung over his shoulder, Syaoran dashed to the side of the beach and climed out on a rock. 

"Sakura!" he cried at the top of his voice. His head was rushing with happiness as he caught his breath. Below the surface, Sakrua was swimming back down to her palace with saddness in her heart. Was it even worth seeing him again? To have to deal with this lonliness, this pain, every time he saw his face. His image taunted her, the very thing she wanted more than anything was within her grasp, and yet she couldn't reach it.

Then she felt it. Like a lightswitch turning on in her spirit that made her heart race. She smiled as she suddenly got the overwhelming urge to break the surface as fast as her fins would take her. Something good was about to happen, she knew it.

"Syaoran-kun!" She cried when she met the air, "What are you doing?"

"Wait right there!" he replied cheerfully as he removed his trousers and dove into the crisp warm ocean. Syaoran could feel his legs form together as a layer of scales grew over his skin. When he surfaced, he threw himself onto Sakura, "I'm going to be with you!"

"What?" Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. He curled his tail up so that she could see.

"We're going to be together... forever!" Syaoran yelled happily, kissing her on her forehead. Sakura took his face and rested her lips on his in a passionet kiss.

**Epilogue**

For weeks the two of them were unseperable. One wouldn't go anywhere with the other, and Syaoran even took residence in the castle.

"Syaoran-kun, slow down!" cried Sakura through a laugh, "My tail's gonna cramp!" It felt like they had been swimming forever when Syaoran finally stopped.

"I can't help it," he protested, "To feel the water flow around my tail. This is freedom."

Sakura smiled, "It's so nice to know you, Syaoran-kun. You love the things in life that we usually take for granted." She pointed to a sign outside the building they stopped at, "Now, can you tell me what that sign says?"

Syaoran studied the sign, his head cocked to the side, "Kaho's Pet Shop!"

Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek, "You're getting better and better at this every day!"

_--_

"What _is_ that?" asked Syaoran as he peered into the rock cage containing a flat grey creature.

"That," beganKaho, the shop owner,as she took it out and held it to him, "Is a manta ray!"

Syaoran examined the ray, jumping every time it moved, "D-does it hurt?"

Kaho laughed, "No, go ahead and pet her!"

With a nervous hand he reached for it, feeling more confident as he felt the rubbery skin. He looked up in alarm when he heard Sakura squeal.

"What's wrong?" he cried as he swam to her side, only to see she was giggling. A small tan creature was nuzzling Sakura's cheek. It was about the size of a small kitten with round golden ears. It had webbed paws and two wing-like fins on its back to propel it in the water.

"He's so adorable!" Sakura gushed.

"What is this dot-eyed frog?" Syaoran wondered out loud as he pointed to the creature. It looked at him as if offended, then looked to his finger, and bit it... _hard_.

Yakkai-kun was in trouble again.

**The End**


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